What if the idlis stick to the dish and refuse to come off, or the batter is flat and unfermented? Even if your idli is fine, the sambar you concoct may go bland. With no alternative breakfast choice at hand, here are a few tricks to beat the morning kitchen blues.
- A peeled onion in the centre of the idli batter helps faster fermentation.
- Urud dal for idlis has to ground finely, not the rice, which needs to be ground coarsely. If the rice is ground to a paste, the idlis tend to stick to the dish when steamed.
- Finely cooked and mashed tur dal makes for thicker sambar.
- A small spoon of ghee in hot sambar (and rasam) before serving enhances their flavour.
- To freshen up old carrot, tomato and beetroot that you have kept for making sambar, keep them dipped in water mixed with salt and lime extract. Rinse after three hours to get the freshness back.
- Mix asafoetida with a little water before using it.
- Tomatoes with their skin and seeds removed brighten up the taste of rasam.
